Topic: Mecca

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Who are the Taliban and what do they want? 5 key points

While Pakistani and Afghan insurgents often get labeled as the 'Taliban,' in reality there are several groups that often act independently and have distinct command structures, ideologies, and strategies.
Shiite and Sunni: What are the differences?

While the two sects share the same basic beliefs, differences in hierarchy and doctrine make Catholics and Protestants an apt comparison.
What is Eid al-Fitr?

For most Muslims, Eid al-Fitr, the joyous end to the month-long fast of Ramadan, began last night. What's it all about?
In Pictures: Islam in America
Jerusalem Day: Why the Holy City is at the crux of the peace process

Israel insists Jerusalem is its ‘undivided and eternal’ capital while Palestinians insist on securing a capital in East Jerusalem. Here are three reasons why Jerusalem is so important to both sides.

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Progress Watch
In Saudi Arabia, a quiet tide of reform

Declining the revolutionary model that Egypt established in overthrowing Mubarak, Saudi reformers are working for a shift in mind-sets as well as policies – and making headway.
Keep Calm
Good Reads: On liberal Christians, political Islam, and the news profession

Here are a few longer pieces worth reading on the disappearance of liberal Christians, the uncertain future political Islamists, and why journalism is still the Best. Job. Ever.
Who are the Taliban and what do they want? 5 key points

While Pakistani and Afghan insurgents often get labeled as the 'Taliban,' in reality there are several groups that often act independently and have distinct command structures, ideologies, and strategies.
Is $3 a gallon a historical relic? What could bring gas prices back to earth.

A return to the $3-a-gallon gas prices of yore is possible, but it will require a number of factors. Among developments experts say could help: improved fuel-efficiency and a calmer Middle East.
Trapped in Douma, Syria: I saw the faith that keeps Syrian protesters going

During the 14 days I spent in Syria last month, I saw the most horrendous acts of the Assad regime on its people. When I asked people what spurred them on amid such indiscriminate brutality, they all gave the same response: Their only hope is their faith in right and wrong.
Shiite and Sunni: What are the differences?

While the two sects share the same basic beliefs, differences in hierarchy and doctrine make Catholics and Protestants an apt comparison.
'Monopoly': A YouTube sensation knocks Saudi royalty

'Monopoly,' one of several new critical videos, derides Saudi Arabia's lack of housing as a groom-to-be shows viewers the van where he envisions living with his new wife.
Malcolm X: A side rarely seen

A chance interview with Malcolm X showed a leader who had learned to use his anger only when it was needed.
Terrorism & Security
Syria refuses Arab League monitors, sanctions loom

Syria refused to allow Arab League monitors, designed to tamp down regime attacks on protesters, into the country. Sanctions could follow.
Does the Arab spring need a bill of rights?

The hefty victory of an Islamist party in Tunisia's election kicks off a year of constitution writing. Urgently needed now is a bill of rights to guarantee freedom for all, regardless of creed or politics.
What is Eid al-Fitr?

For most Muslims, Eid al-Fitr, the joyous end to the month-long fast of Ramadan, began last night. What's it all about?
Backchannels
Death comes again to Iraq's 'Mother of all Battles' mosque

The Baghdad mosque, where 28 people were killed in a suicide bombing Sunday, is tied to some of the biggest failures, and a few of the successes, of post-Saddam Iraq.
In Pictures: Islam in America
Saudi ban on women driving is against Islam

Saudi women protesting the ban on driving can point to the very genesis of Islam to defend their right to get behind the wheel: The wives of prophet Muhammad rode camels and horses and moved about independently.
Jerusalem Day: Why the Holy City is at the crux of the peace process

Israel insists Jerusalem is its ‘undivided and eternal’ capital while Palestinians insist on securing a capital in East Jerusalem. Here are three reasons why Jerusalem is so important to both sides.
Supreme Court: US Muslim cannot sue Ashcroft for 2003 detention ordeal

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft is entitled to qualified immunity and cannot be sued by an American Muslim detained under harsh conditions in 2003, the US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Will Muslim Brotherhood succeed where Osama bin Laden failed?

Osama bin Laden is dead. Al Qaeda may soon follow him to the grave. But the doctrine of jihad – exemplified by the Muslim Brotherhood – lives on.
Controversy in death: Seven questions about Osama bin Laden’s burial at sea

Just as his life had been a flashpoint of contention, Osama bin Laden’s death has incited fresh disputes about whether his burial at sea was done in accordance with Islamic law.
Bin Laden's death puts exclamation point on Al Qaeda's demise

A threat remains from the Al Qaeda core as well as the splinter groups it inspired. But bin Laden's global terrorist franchise and its grand vision of challenging 'imperialist' America is waning.
Libyan rebel says Osama bin Laden's death won't stop jihadist flow

'Al Qaeda [is] getting more and more organized and bringing people [to Libya] from abroad,' says the rebel, who has been contacted by militants wanting to fight against Col. Muammar Qaddafi.
Osama bin Laden: 7 books that offer insight into the man and his actions

Who was Osama bin Laden? The mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist plot was one of the best-known men in the world and yet in many ways he remained an enigma. The son of a wealthy businessman, the man whom most Westerners knew as an archterrorist was also a soft-spoken family man with a fondness for poetry. The following books offer insight into Osama bin Laden – the man, his convictions, and how he came to cast so large a shadow over the Western world.
Stir It Up!
Book Review: The Sorcerer’s Apprentices

Endless hours mastering mundane tasks, dozens of chefs in a small space following strict protocol and a military-like hierarchy – these are the secrets of success behind the curtain at elBulli – the most creative, innovative kitchen in the world.
Should you panic about oil prices?

Not yet. Middle East turmoil may increase the danger of rising oil prices triggering a double-dip recession. But while a short-lived oil price spike is quite possible, a sustained spike causing serious economic damage isn't likely. Still, the US should consider two approaches for insurance.
The Circle Bastiat
In praise of the airport tourist trap

The shops in airports that sell local trinkets may seem tacky, but we should embrace them.
Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

Nearly a century after Lawrence of Arabia’s fame, many of his ideas about the Middle East remain prescient.